MSC Cruises has reconfirmed its full Summer Programme for 2021. Next year the Italian cruise line will welcome two new ships and invite guest on a series of new or enriched itineraries.
With many people dreaming of being able to travel again, and looking forward to start planning their holidays for next year, MSC Cruises has confirmed its full summer programme for 2021.
In a statement Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said that while the company has taken the difficult decision to further extend the halt of its operations, it is also important to look ahead.
Talking about when MSC plans to return to the sea Mr Onorato said: “Our ships will return to service only when the time is right, in phases and by region, and following guidance from the relevant national and international health and other regulatory authorities and the support of a new operating protocol especially focused on health and safety, which we will announce soon. This way, gradually, all of our ships will return to sea between then and the beginning of our summer 2021 season.”
Highlights for summer 2021
MSC Cruises Summer 2021 programme will include all 17 vessels currently part of the fleet as well as MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore, the two new ships currently still under construction.
Next year MSC will offer a cruise length to suit everyone. From mini-cruises of 3 or 4-nights, standard 7-night cruises to longer cruises of 9, 11 and 14-nights, there will be a cruise for every taste.
With 19 ships to choose from guests will be able to choose for more traditional, charming ships or oneof the larger and modern ships with an abundance of outdoor space.
An unparalleled number of embarkation ports will allow guests to find the port that is most convenient and easily connected to them however they like to travel.
In addition to a tempting array of destinations, MSC Cruises’ ships offer a rich and enjoyable onboard experience with an award-winning family offering, world-class entertainment, superb international dining experiences all on board glamourous, modern ships with comfortable and spacious cabins, plenty of public spaces and cutting-edge technology. Not forgetting the exclusive MSC Yacht Club on Fantasia, Meraviglia and Seaside class ships, for those guests looking for even more personal service and private facilities.
Seaside Class Ships set to be sun-kissed stars of the Western Mediterranean
MSC Cruises’ three innovative, award-winning Seaside-class ships, designed to bring guests closer to the sea, will all be deployed together for the first time in the Western Mediterranean.
These ships – MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview and MSC Seashore – have been designed for the warmer weather with more generous outdoor space and are the perfect ships for guests who want to enjoy the sunshine and stunning ocean views in this popular cruise region.
MSC Seashore will now come into service from 1 August 2021 due to the delay that was caused by the temporary closure of the shipyard due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MSC Seashore was originally scheduled to enter service in June 2021. MSC Fantasia will temporarily cover her itinerary (with guests receiving a shipboard credit of €100 for this change).
MSC Seashore will have the highest ratio of outdoor space per guest of any ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet and will offer the popular ‘Six Pearls’ itinerary calling the Italian cities of Genoa and, for visits to Pompeii, Naples; Messina, Sicily; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France.
She will be joined by sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview in their Genoa homeport and operate ever-popular 7-night cruises that sail the world’s most glamourous sea.
MSC Cruises will return to Tunisia from August when MSC Fantasia performs 7-night cruises from Genoa calling Marseille, Barcelona, the port of La Goulette in Tunis, Palermo and Civitavecchia.
Nine to 12-night cruises will also be available from Genoa, Italy in late summer to Morocco, the Canary Islands, Madeira and Portugal, Greece and Israel with MSC Poesia calling in the beautiful port of Haifa.
Enriched Eastern Mediterranean Itineraries
In summer 2021 MSC Lirica will be deployed from Venice, Italy and will also offer embarkation in the northern Italian port of Trieste with stunning itinerary calling Zadar, Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro and Corfu in Greece.
In addition, MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra, MSC Opera and MSC Sinfonia, will offer 7-night itineraries also departing from Venice and calling the Greek islands, Montenegro and Croatia.
Inspirational Range of Itineraries in Northern Europe
From 8 May the brand new state-of-the-art MSC Virtuosa will spend her first summer season with 7- to 14-night cruises from the German port of Kiel, Germany alternating between the fjords and the Baltic capitals, with all itineraries offering embarkation in both Kiel and Copenhagen, Denmark.
The famous fjords of the Norwegian west coast and the Baltic Capitals can also be enjoyed on a 7-night to 14-night (back to back) itinerary available on MSC Splendida and she will also offer longer 10 and 11-night cruises to the Baltic capitals or North Cape.
MSC Magnifica will homeport in Southampton, UK and offer 7-night itineraries to the magical fjords of Norway, 14-nights to the Baltic capitals or the Mediterranean in mid-August, 12-nights to the Canary Islands and a 7-night cruise to calling the “Northern Pearls” of Hamburg, Germany; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Zeebrugge, Belgium and Le Havre, France.
MSC Preziosa will offer from 9- to 14-night itineraries from Hamburg with destinations in Ireland, Iceland and North Cape and Spitzbergen in Norway.
Sun-soaked Caribbean and The Bahamas
Known as “the ship for all seasons”, MSC Meraviglia will offer 7-night cruises from Miami in Florida departing every Saturday, while the classic and charming MSC Armonia will offer new shorter 3-and 4-night getaway cruises also from Miami departing on Mondays and Fridays and calling Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
New for next summer, the elegant MSC Divina will sail for the first time from Port Canaveral, Florida – a new homeport for MSC Cruises – and offer a mix of 3-, 4- and 7-night cruises departing on Sundays and Thursdays. With this new home port, MSC Cruises’ guests will now have the option of exploring the Orlando area pre- or post-cruise and extending their holiday experience.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will remain a key highlight of cruises in the Caribbean, with all three ships calling at the private island destination in The Bahamas. Exclusive to MSC Cruises’ guests, the private island – located just 65 miles from Miami – is surrounded by 64 square miles of marine reserve, offering guests a unique opportunity to discover local marine life, soak up the spirit of Bahamian culture and reconnect with themselves and each other.
Guests can spend a full day enjoying two miles of pristine beachfront across eight world class beaches with a wide selection of ocean discovery activities like deep-sea fishing, snorkelling adventures, stand up paddle boarding, and kayaking. In the evening, the island comes alive with a spectacular lighthouse show, an authentic, high-energy Junkanoo parade and dancing under the stars with live music from Bahamian artists and DJs.
MSC Cruises’ summer 2021 programme offers a huge amount of choice and flexibility. With new ships, new itineraries and new ports of call there is something for everyone on the menu. Which destinaton and ship is on your bucket list for next year? Let us know in the comments!